Association for Behavior Analysis International

• Faster acquisition/better generalization than in vivo modeling
• Accentuates certain stimulus features
• Minimizes distracting/irrelevant features
• Is an engaging medium for longer attending
• Does not require social interaction during learning

These two papers focus on the assessment and treatment of problem behavior. The first study, by Slaton, Hanley, and Raftery, compared results of interview-informed synthesized contingency analyses (Hanley, Jin, Vanselow, & Hanratty, 2014) and standard functional analyses (Iwata et al., 1982/1994) to determine differential outcomes of conducting functional analyses with synthesized versus isolated reinforcers. The relative effectiveness of interventions derived from both types of analyses was then evaluated. The second study, by Deltour, Ahearn, and Cohen, consisted of a trial-based functional analysis of problem behavior during activity transitions. A treatment based on the obtained results and consisting of differential reinforcement of alternative behavior without extinction was then implemented to decrease problem behavior occurring during the activity transitions identified as problematic. The discussant for this symposium will be Richard B. Graff, Ph.D., BCBA-D, who currently works at the New England Center for Children and whose research interests include, among others, the functional assessment and treatment of challenging behavior.

Children with autism often present with difficulties during transitions (Davis, 1987). It is therefore important to develop procedures for assessing and treating problem behavior during transitions. The purpose of the present study was to replicate McCord, Thomson, and Iwata (2001) by developing and conducting an assessment and intervention for the transition-related problem behavior of two participants with disabilities. Following some pre-assessment analyses, we conducted a functional analysis of problem behavior during transitions between activities. The results suggested that problem behavior occurred in transitions involving a worsening in activity preference, for example terminating a preferred or neutral activity and initiating a non-preferred activity. Finally, we examined the effectiveness of an intervention consisting of differential reinforcement of alternative behavior without extinction on the problem behavior occurring during the transitions identified as problematic. The results suggested that differential reinforcement of alternative behavior without extinction and effectively decreased problem behavior in all targeted activity transitions. Future directions will be discussed. Interobserver Agreement (IOA) was collected for at least 30% of all trials and averaged over 90% for all scored responses.

Functional communication training (FCT) is a common treatment strategy for the reduction of problem behavior. Challenges can be encountered in teaching the procedures to caregivers in rural or ethnically diverse communities, as well as in the maintenance of treatment effects when reinforcement delays are necessary. Cordova, Phillips, Fritz, and Lerman used a train-the-trainer model to teach caregivers to train other caregivers to implement FCT with their children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Caregivers' integrity of implementation improved following training. Sellers, Hoffmann, and Bogoev used combined the train-the-trainer model with telehealth to teach caregivers to conduct a functional analysis implement FCT with their young children. A Board Certified Behavior Analyst? taught a behavior specialist to train caregivers in the procedures, and results showed this approach to be highly effective in reducing problem behavior and increasing independent comunication. Finally, Ghaemmaghami, Hanley, Jessel, Landa, and Ward compared time-based delays and contingency-based delays (CBD) following successful use of FCT. CBD was more effective, and most participants preferred unpredictable CBD compared to predictable CBD. Directions for future research and implications for clinical applications will be discussed.

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are more likely to engage in challenging behavior, such as aggression and self-injury, than children without ASD. If left untreated, these behaviors can increase in severity over time, causing significant stress on families. Numerous studies over the 30 years have demonstrated the efficacy of behavioral treatments for these challenging behaviors, particularly an intervention called functional communication training (FCT). Furthermore, caregivers have been able to effectively implement FCT in home settings to reduce their children's challenging behavior. However, all caregivers to date have been trained by professionals. The waiting lists to obtain these professional services can be quite lengthy, and these services are even less accessible to ethnically diverse, low-income families due to language and financial barriers. In this study, we evaluated a model of training in which caregivers trained by professionals then trained other parents to implement FCT with their children in the home setting. This model has the potential to expand clinical service availability in rural, low-income communities, as well as to more diverse ethnic groups who face barriers to receiving services for their childrens challenging behavior.

The effectiveness of treatments for problem behavior, like functional communication training (FCT), depends on the extent to which the treatment can be successfully extended to typical environments that include unavoidable and unpredictable reinforcement delays. Time-based delay (TBD) often result in loss of acquired communication responses and a re-emergence of problem behavior, whereas contingency-based delay (CBD) appears effective for increasing tolerance for delayed reinforcement (Hanley, Jin, Vanselow, & Hanratty, 2014). No direct comparison of TBD and CBD has been conducted, however. We first compared the relative efficacy of TBD and CBD across progressively longer delays using probabilistic reinforcement. Four individuals who engaged in a range of problem behaviors (e.g., aggression, vocal and motor disruptions, self-injury) participated. Lower rates of problem behavior and emotional responding were observed during CBD than TBD. We then evaluated the efficacy of, and participants’ preference for, predictable versus unpredictable CBD. Results from four participants showed that unpredictable CBD was more effective at maintaining optimal rates of communication, low rates of problem behavior, and high rates of compliance during delay. Unpredictable CBD, however, was preferred to predictable CBD and a control condition for three out of four participants.

The history of basic research in behavior analysis on human language and cognition could be traced back to the publication of Skinner's (1957) Verbal Behavior and to the distinction that he made subsequently between contingency-shaped versus rule-governed behavior in An Operant Analysis of Problem Solving (Skinner, 1966). Although basic research studies were slow to emerge from the former work, the latter publication was critical in generating a whole plethora of studies that were directly relevant to the behavior analytic study of human language and cognition. The seminal research on equivalence relations by Sidman (1994) and colleagues, which commenced in the early 1970s and led to the development of relational frame theory (Hayes, Barnes-Holmes, & Roche, 2001), provided another critically important source of inspiration for basic research in this area. The current paper will present an overview of this 60-year-old unfolding research story and will consider some empirical and conceptual issues that appear to require focused attention as the story continues to unfold across the coming decades.

Licensed behavior analysts, psychologists, graduate students.

Bridging the basic and applied realms of behavior analysis, translational research seeks to determine the conditions under which basic principles of behavior control the behavior of humans in more typical contexts (e.g., home, school, and community settings), while also suggesting important areas for future basic research. The translational papers in this symposium examine the variables controlling the development, maintenance, and recurrence of target responding. Billie Retzlaff will begin this symposium by sharing the results of a recent translational investigation on the potential for the induction of additional functions of responding following synthesized contingencies of reinforcement. Hank Roane will then present on the role of response variability on the resurgence of problem behavior during challenges to treatment. Brian Greer will then present on strategies to mitigate the resurgence of problem behavior following functional communication training. Finally, Sarah Cowie will present on how reinforcers control behavior due to their ability to signal the immediate future probability of additional reinforcers.

Treatment of challenging behavior in individuals with developmental disabilities often involves withholding reinforcement for problem behavior (i.e., extinction) while simultaneously reinforcing an appropriate alternative behavior (i.e., differential reinforcement). Previous research has demonstrated that if reinforcement of the alternative behavior is reduced or eliminated (i.e., interruption of treatment), resurgence of problem behavior may occur. However, it is also possible that extinction-induced response variability (i.e., emergence of functionally related topographies of behavior) may also occur when reinforcement is withheld for previously reinforced responses. The current study sought to evaluate the occurrence of resurgence of problem behavior and extinction-induced response variability during a human operant arrangement in which an inactive control response was present and during clinical cases in which interruptions to treatment were programmed. Results suggested that resurgence and response variability may have an inverse relation when treatment is interrupted, such that if resurgence of problem behavior occurs, a child is less likely to display response variability and conversely, resurgence of problem behavior may not be as robust when a child engages in greater response variability. Clinical implications regarding the effects of treatment interruptions will be discussed.

The assumption that reinforcers strengthen behavior forms the foundation of many behavior-analytic interventions. However, recent basic research suggests that reinforcers control behavior because of what they signal about events that are likely to occur in the immediate future, rather than because they strengthen the behavior they follow. We extended an experimental paradigm used with non-human animals to study reinforcer control of choice in children. Seven typically developing children and one child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder played a game where opening one of two drawers would result in a reinforcer. The probability of the next reinforcer being obtained for opening the same drawer as had produced the last reinforcer was varied across conditions. Generally, children chose the drawer more likely to produce the next reinforcer, even on occasions when a different response had been reinforced in the preceding trial. This finding suggests that strengthening may be an unnecessary construct, and that a better understanding of how appetitive consequences control behaviour may be achieved using an alternative framework.

Expanding access to high quality Applied Behavior Analysis services has required advocacy for systems change, including expanding the payers for ABA to include health insurers. This panel will describe the public policy changes that have transformed access to ABA treatment. The panel will identify the future targets for public policy advocacy to break down the barriers to universal access to quality behavior analytic services. The presenters have drafted and passed legislation in Massachusetts requiring private health insurers to pay for autism treatment, specifically including applied behavior analysis. They have also participated in the drafting of the regulations to license behavior analysts in Massachusetts. One of the panelists is the founder of an agency providing ABA services to children and adults, and has expertise in managing the reimbursement process for ABA services. Another founded an agency to assist families accessing insurance reimbursement for ABA services. The third panelist has worked to expand access to non-English speaking residents to enable them to access services.

The current symposium will highlight elements of behavioral skills training across varying environments. Rue and colleagues will present data regarding behavior analysts' ability to generalize training in experimental functional analysis (EFA) methodology to trial-based functional analysis (TBFA) methods. The training occurred in a clinic providing services to clients with developmental disabilities. Preliminary data suggest error patterns across the three participants requiring feedback to achieve acceptable levels of procedural integrity. Mitchell and colleagues discuss the importance of training supervisors to provide effective supervision to direct care staff in home-based programs. The authors designed a feedback tool that was used during weekly performance monitoring. Preliminary data suggest implementation of a feedback tool can be an effective means of training supervisors working in home-based applied behavior analysis (ABA) programs. The final presentation highlights elements of behavior skills training in a community setting. Smith and colleagues present data regarding a community-based program to increase access to community events and services for families that include an individual with a developmental disability. Results suggest community members acquired skills necessary to assist in providing increased access to community events. Presenters will include a discussion of the successes and challenges in training individuals to implement programs with integrity.

Results of a recent survey of over 600 behavior analysts indicated only 77% received formal training in the use of experimental functional analysis (EFA). Further, 63% of board certified behavior analysts (BCBAs) indicated they "never" or "almost never" used an EFA in practice. The objective of the current study was to determine if BCBAs could generalize the ability to implement a trial-based experimental functional analysis (TBFA) following training focused on "traditional" EFA methodology. Three BCBAs with no experience implementing EFAs acted as participants in the study. The independent variable included formal training in EFA methodology. The dependent variable was level of procedural integrity during implementation of a traditional EFA and a TBFA measured in a multiple baseline design. Participants implemented the traditional EFAs during a mock assessment. Participants implemented the TBFAs in an applied setting with clients diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Initial results indicate that participants can implement traditional EFA methodology with relatively high levels of integrity. Results suggest two participants demonstrated challenges maintaining levels of integrity above 80% during the demand and control conditions. Participants will likely require additional feedback to maintain procedural integrity above 80% accuracy during TBFAs. Implications for training and practice are discussed.

Families of children with developmental disabilities are often hesitant to participate in community activities, especially when there is a lack of essential supports. These families seek the same variety and flexibility to engage in their community as other members of society. The SOAR (Starting Our Adventure Right) program promotes safe, comfortable, and inclusive opportunities, combined with careful training and education of community members so that children with developmental disabilities and their families can fully participate within their own communities. The SOAR Program began as a collaboration between the Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics (DDBP) at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC), the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), and the Autism Society of Greater Cincinnati. It has expanded to other community settings including museums and theaters. Psychologists and behavior analysts make use of elements of behavioral skills training, visual supports and a simulation event that focuses on modeling and feedback. Preliminary results from one training site suggests substantially increase in pre/post test scores of knowledge regarding developmental disabilities. It is anticipated that continued data collection and analysis will support the use of community training program to increase inclusion of individuals with developmental disabilities.

Crew resource Management (CRM) describes an approach to coordinating the efforts of multiple personnel to optimize behavior within complex and challenging work environments. It is crucial in high risk industries such as aviation, nuclear power, oil & gas exploration and medicine, for examples, where teams must manage complex tasks within highly technical environments. Situational Awareness (SA) can be seen as a subset of CRM and entails a worker or crew perceiving changes in the operating environment, comprehending the significance of those changes, and predicting what will happen if events continue unchecked. SA in the context of CRM is an early step in a chain of coordinated behaviors (decision-making, communications, instructions, coaching, feedback, etc.) that allow teams to adapt their collective response to challenges and avert catastrophic outcomes. This panel considers the complexity of behaviors within the CRM and SA framework. Issues such as measuring crew and individual competency, the value of simulators in training, and design of support systems (dashboards, data streams, etc.) are discussed in the context of work underway in oil & gas exploration and medical settings.

In the pastseventy years, the behavioral sciences achieved knowledge of human behavior and cultural evolution that is beginning to reap significant benefits in terms of improving human well-being. This presentation will provide a brief overview of the knowledge we have gained with special emphasis on the behavior analytic roots of much of that progress. Dr. Biglan will then provide specific and diverse examples of how effective interventions are being implemented around the world at a scale that is beginning to affect the well-being of entire populations.

Licensed behavior analysts, psychologists, graduate students

A core-defining feature of autism spectrum disorder is deficits in social communication skills. As such, early interventions often target this area of development. This symposium will present empirical data related to early social communication targets that are critical for social conversation development. The first two single case research studies evaluate teaching procedures for two commonly addressed early social communication targets (i.e., joint attention and intraverbal fill-ins). The final study presents a meta-analysis of declarative and imperative communication acts for young children with autism.

Inclusive preschool settings often provide meaningful social and play opportunities with same aged peers for children with special needs. Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are especially at risk for isolation from peers in inclusive preschool settings and have benefited from a range of social communication interventions. In particular, peer mediated interventions hold interest for social communication interventions for children with ASD because of their ability to teach skills that are socially valid. One pivotal skill for social interactions, joint attention, has been examined primarily in clinical settings. This study extends previous findings from a piloted parent-mediated joint attention intervention and applies joint attention interventions to a peer-mediated setting in an individual concurrent multiple baseline design across child-peer dyads in inclusive preschool classrooms to evaluate the effects of the intervention on increased response to joint attention behaviors to interventionist bids; on increased bids from peers to target children with ASD; and on increased response to joint attention behaviors to peer bids. Elements of discrete trial training (DTT) and naturalistic instruction were used to teach response to joint attention behaviors to young children with ASD using both interventionists and same-aged peers. Results indicate increased response to both interventionist and peer joint attention bids, as well as increased peer bids to target child.

The increasing dissemination of Behavior Analysis services around the world, particularly in the area of autism intervention, presents unique opportunities and challenges for program developers and practitioners alike. As more and more governments recognize the need for effective autism treatment and commit resources to intervention based on applied behavior analysis, opportunities are created. Successful programs operating abroad have goals in common with programs operating in North America, but they also must address some unique challenges. First, they must provide effective, evidence-based treatment that meets local needs. Consideration of the local cultural context and cultural influences on the recognition, acceptable interventions, and expected outcomes of disabilities services will help mitigate program-related risks associated with operation abroad. Second, program operation must be financially viable and sustainable. An understanding of the local stakeholders (e.g., government, philanthropic) commitment to program funding and operation over an extended time is critical. Third, a successful program will plan for sustainability through knowledge transfer, that is, through the development of local expertise among practitioners and program managers through formal and informal professional development. Panelists will discuss these three key topics and answer questions about the development and delivery of services abroad.

Words that mean so much to all of us–either as the center of our meaningful existence–or as four-letter words writ large. Blaise Pascal understood that, “The heart has reasons that Reason cannot know.” “And needn’t know!” is quickly echoed by radical behaviorists. Here, in the City of Love, I ask if they could possibly be right; whether to be a good science, ours must be a heartless science. Physics and chemistry cannot be other. Must behaviorism? Bemused with Carneaux in experimental chambers, is there room for behaviorists in the labyrinthine chambers of the heart? In this talk I begin to unweave the rainbow of heart and soul; hoping–and you shall judge if I succeed in showing the possibility–that once experimentally analyzed, some reasons can be found that reason can know; and that some life, indeed, some mystery, still lives in the analysands.

Licensed behavior analysts, psychologists, graduate students.

This panel will briefly review ethical supervision of BACB applicants based on the BACB Professional and Ethical Compliance Code for Behavior Analysts. Supervised experience provides BACB applicants with guidance in the application of behavior analytic procedures. Panel will discuss the importance of ethical, effective and efficient supervision of BACB applicants and how the supervised experience lays the groundwork for provision of home programming services once applicants become certified BCBAs. Panel will also briefly discuss ethics as they relate to the provision of delivering home programming services to clients and respond to questions from the audience.